Israeli man killed in Ashkelon as Gaza militants fire over 450 rockets
The 58-year-old father of four, Moshe Agadi, died from shrapnel wounds to his stomach and chest after a rocket landed next to his home; this is the first Israeli civilian casualty from rocket fire since 2014; IDF continues airstrikes and tank shelling, hitting some 220 targets since Friday
A rocket fired from Gaza killed an Israeli civilian on Sunday after a house in Ashkelon suffered a hit. The 58-year-old father of four is the first civilian casualty from rocket fire since 2014 Operation Protective Edge. Since Saturday, Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants fired more than 450 rockets at Israeli communities, the military said
Moshe Agadi suffered shrapnel wounds in his stomach and chest when a rocket fired by Gaza militants landed next to his home in the middle of the night. He was taken to Barzilay Medical Center in Ashkelon, where doctors pronounced his death shortly after.
Israel military hit back with tank shelling and air strikes at some 220 targets in Gaza, with at least 60 targets being hit overnight Saturday. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group said two of its men were killed in an Israeli raid before dawn. Overall at least 11 Palestinians were killed by IDF fire since Friday, according to the medical sources in Gaza.
Among the installations that were targeted by the IDF were Hamas military outposts in the northern Gaza Strip, military compounds, warehouses, rocket manufacturing facilities and Hamas' naval commando base. The IDF said earlier it had destroyed an attack tunnel dug by the Islamic Jihad.
A joint statement from Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza warns Israel of extending the range of fire to the metropolitan areas around Tel Aviv, if Israeli strikes in Gaza continue. Local authorities of the central city, Rishon LeTsiyon, decided to open all public bomb shelters in the city out of concern the military factions in Gaza will make good on their threats.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has convened a cabinet meeting later today. This is the first time the cabinet will meet since March when a missile was fired towards Tel Aviv.
Schools will be closed in all communities within a radius of 40 km (25 miles) and trains will not operate south of Ashkelon.
Egyptian and UN mediators, credited with brokering ceasefires in previous rounds of violence, were working to prevent further hostilities.
The latest round of violence began on Friday when a Palestinian Islamic Jihad sniper fired at Israeli troops, wounding two soldiers, according to the Israeli military. Israel retaliated with an air strike that killed two militants belonging to Hamas' military wing, which controls Gaza.
Israel marks Memorial Day and Independence Day this week, when masses head out to ceremonies at military cemeteries and then street parties across the country. The following week it hosts the Eurovision song contest in which large groups of tourists are expected to arrive for the campy spectacle.
For Gazans, the violence comes ahead of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan that begins Monday.
